My little compressor blew up

[MushCreek]

Well, blew out is more like it. My beloved little Emglo wheelbarrow compressor finally rusted out. I picked it up years ago for $100 at an auction. It's always had a pinhole leak in the tank, which 'fixes' itself sometimes. The compressor itself is great; it fills up fast and is quiet. I use it a lot. Yesterday, a larger rust hole blew out, rendering it dead.

The question is- what to do with it? A new tank used to be about $500, and I'm not sure you can get them anymore. It's got a nice 1-1/2 hp motor- I could use that, and scrap the rest. Or- look for a deal on a tank. There are plenty of dead compressors on CL for next to nothing, but how do I know if the tank is any better than the one I have? If I could find a decent tank on wheels (any brand) I could adapt the pump and motor to it. I'm afraid to spend too much- If I drop $500, odds are the pump will throw a rod the next week.

I wonder if the pump has any value? I could demonstrate that it works, then keep the motor for myself, sell the pump, and scrap the tank. I'd still have to buy a portable compressor, though. With 8-1/2 acres, the stationary compressor isn't always practical.

 

[cvairwerks]

Find a dead garage sale compressor...buy a portable air tank, hit the truck wrecking yard for an air brake tank, hit up the local welding supply place for a couple of bottles that won't pass hydro....multiple ways to fix this.

 

[taumac]

I would definitely keep everything but tank itself. You can always adapt it to a tank down the road.

 

[driftpin]

With a bit of searching, you should be able to find another tank which you can adapt. It might not be quite as easy to-move, but you could find another tank and simply put wheels on it, and leave your wheelbarrow cart together, with a quick-disconnect between the two.

 

[MushCreek]

I don't want to add any weight to it; the little sucker weighs a ton as it is. I'd like to find a decent two wheel rig with a dead pump, and adapt it over. Might have to drill some holes in the platform, but that doesn't affect the pressure vessel itself. I'm just trying to figure out how to find a compressor with a KNOWN good tank.

 

[NC Fabricator25]

https://www.surpluscenter.com/Air-Pneumatics/Air-Tanks/Compressor-Replacement-Tanks/10-Gallon-Twin-Wheelbarrow-Style-Air-Compressor-Tank-4-9070.axd

Just saw that Surplus Center has a 10 gallon, twin tank, wheelbarrow style tank for sale for $120. Might be the cheapest option if you want to continue using that configuration. I’m sure it would take a bit of retrofitting for the gauges, switch, plumbing, etc.

 

[sberry]

A picture of this would be interesting.

 

[MushCreek]

$70 shipping, though. Still a possibility. I can get a new Rolair tank for $300, free shipping.

A picture of my compressor? There's nothing to see. It's just a small rust hole, but enough to make the compressor run continuously.

Tons of cheap compressors on CL with shot pumps or motors. Most of them don't have a very big platform, so I'd have to do a lot of fab work to mount mine to it. For that matter, there's lots of $100 compressors that run fine.

 

[sberry]

I was just curious if it was localized? I had one a while back where it was a **** weld on a running gear attachment, very local.

 

[mike93lx]

If the pump and motor are good, I would find a cheap oil-free compressor with a good tank and swap over your stuff. Shouldn't be hard to find something 20-30 gal on craigslist

 

[Citation]

I had a Campbell Hausfeld based compressor like this one
https://www.grainger.com/product/4TW29
Sadly the tank rusted through. I was able to find a 26 gallon vertical tank from a dead oil free CH compressor. I cut the top plate off my old tank since it has all the mounts for the motor, pump and belt guard. Unfortunately the new tank's inlet is not top center so I will have bend up a new line from the pump to the new input location. Not the end of the world but a bit of a pain.

Anyway, the replacement tank cost me $40. Keep an eye out and you might not have to spend much money.

 

[Farmall450]

I recall one of the surplus places having dual tank wheelbarrows w/out motor or pump for like $180. I'd hold out til you find a donor or something like that

 

[Farmall450]

https://www.surpluscenter.com/Air-Pneumatics/Air-Tanks/Compressor-Replacement-Tanks/10-Gallon-Twin-Wheelbarrow-Style-Air-Compressor-Tank-4-9070.axd

Just saw that Surplus Center has a 10 gallon, twin tank, wheelbarrow style tank for sale for $120. Might be the cheapest option if you want to continue using that configuration. I’m sure it would take a bit of retrofitting for the gauges, switch, plumbing, etc.

Holy smokes, can't believe they still have them.

 

[MushCreek]

I took it all apart. The hole was so small, I had trouble finding it. There was a time I would have just patched it up somehow and went on my merry way. I'm more cautious as I get older. The hole is less than 1/8". It's just below the little blob of weld. If I find something like Citation did, I'll do the same thing- cut the old Emglo mounting plate off and attach it to the donor tank. The plumbing undoubtedly would have to be rerouted anyway unless I found the exact same tank.

Just the pump itself weighs as much as a complete HF compressor. No wonder it's so quiet and long-lasting. It's a real 1-1/2 hp motor, too, not some 'compressor rated' BS.

 

[ClappedOutBport]

Find a dead garage sale compressor...buy a portable air tank, hit the truck wrecking yard for an air brake tank, hit up the local welding supply place for a couple of bottles that won't pass hydro....multiple ways to fix this.

Can you imagine how heavy two welding cylinders would be? A little overkill too.

 

[bastage]

Because I just saw this not long ago...

Surplus center also has some 30 gallon 2 wheel portable type tanks.. But their shipping is stupid high. 177 shipping if I dont need a liftgate & 322 if I do. I was looking at picking up a couple of them till they gave me the shipping quote.

 

[cvairwerks]

Can you imagine how heavy two welding cylinders would be? A little overkill too.

Just depends on if it needs to be mobile... I've got a bunch of smaller aluminum oxygen cylinders that I ganged to my little oilless years ago. Got them for freebies from the home medical place that did the concentrator and bottles for my MIL. They wouldn't pass hydro, but were fine for 120 psig.

Now I have a 500 gallon propane tank to gang to the 120 gallon compressor when I need it.

 

[FTG-05]

Just depends on if it needs to be mobile... I've got a bunch of smaller aluminum oxygen cylinders that I ganged to my little oilless years ago. Got them for freebies from the home medical place that did the concentrator and bottles for my MIL. They wouldn't pass hydro, but were fine for 120 psig.

Now I have a 500 gallon propane tank to gang to the 120 gallon compressor when I need it.

I could stand to hear a little more about this.

 

[cvairwerks]

FTG: It was condemned due to pitting depth around the regulator cover. The regulator had been off for a year or more when I got it. Took it home, mounted it on wheels and drilled and tapped a drain port in the bottom. Washed it out a couple of times to get rid of the last of the mercaptian smell. I've since adapted it down to a 2" feed. I need to get a saftey popoff to put on the stack and put a new fitting on the drain.

The main use it's intended for is to provide a buffer for the blast cabinet. I don't like to wait on the compressor when I'm blasting and can't justify moving to a bigger scroll or screw compressor.

I don't have any photos, as the tank is stored out at the other house right now, and the big compressor is at the warehouse. When I went to have the wiring done for the compressor, the one electrician that would bid the job was crazy priced for his time to get the permit and terminate the 6 connections on wire already run. Not a big deal now as we are going to be moving later this year I hope.

 

[Southren_Canuk]

Cvairwerks: If you were in NC I could've had that wired up for you for about $50 and a few refreshments. That setup would have been interesting to just see.

 

[lbhsbz]

https://www.surpluscenter.com/Air-P...elbarrow-Style-Air-Compressor-Tank-4-9070.axd

 

[cvairwerks]

Cvairwerks: If you were in NC I could've had that wired up for you for about $50 and a few refreshments. That setup would have been interesting to just see.

LOL...Permits and registration for the electrician total about $50. Had no squawk about those costs, or the time to get them and do the inspection and permit closeout. Was miffed at the cost to make the connections themselves. It was way out of line for what had to be done.

If you think that setup is interesting, wait til it's all back up and running....T-30 253 compressor on a 120 gallon tank, the 500 gallon propane buffer tank and I've picked up a 3 column desiccant dryer for the blast cabinet and paint gun piping. If I remember right, the desiccant columns will flow something around 55 cfm @ 175 psig.

I hate waiting on a compressor when I get going.....

 

[MushCreek]

https://www.surpluscenter.com/Air-P...elbarrow-Style-Air-Compressor-Tank-4-9070.axd

Post 6 beat you to it. $70 shipping takes the fun out of it, though.

 

[The Cobbler]

cut off the mounting base, scrap the tank, keep an eye out for a tank.
just after you get tired of looking & you get rid of the pump/motor etc, you'll find a perfect donor.

 

[The Cobbler]

those tanks I think are Makita . Princess Auto had a bunch on clearance for $99 . I should have bought some of them.

 

[volaredon]

I had an Emglo twin hot dog tank (8 gallon total capacity combined) with a 5hp Briggs for a power source. I bought it for one job but handy as all get out, I had the same thing happen to mine about 7-8 years ago. I found a dead 30 gallon oil less Crapsman on CL for ~$25. I cut my motor/compressor mount base off the twin tanks and welded it (yeah I know) to the 30 gallon tank. been using it like this ever since. The Briggs blew up, I had another from an old tiller collecting dust so it lives on.... Biggest complaint is now that my son has gotten married and moved out I never see the thing any more.

 

[sberry]

If it was local and from a factory weld booger I would fix it.